Kuala lumpur: A total of 222 MADANI Entrepreneur Inclusive Reference Centres (PRIME) will begin operating at selected National Information Dissemination Centres (NADI) nationwide from this Monday, covering every parliamentary constituency to bring entrepreneurship support services closer to the people. Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Steven Sim said all PRIME centres, which serve as one-stop reference centres for entrepreneurs, would be open to entrepreneurs, with members of the public able to walk in to obtain information, business consultations, as well as access to and referrals for financing, training and services provided by relevant agencies.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, 'PRIME will function as a one-stop centre to assist entrepreneurs, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), small traders and hawkers in obtaining entrepreneurship-related information and services, including information on government programmes and policies, funds and financing, as well as assistance with loan applications and entrepreneurship courses. Through PRIME, entrepreneurs can come forward and explain their business needs or problems, and PRIME officers will provide initial guidance and, where necessary, refer them to the most suitable programme or agency, whether under the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (KUSKOP), other ministries or relevant government agencies,' Sim said.
He made this statement after launching PRIME 2026 and the Aspirasi Membangun Usahawan MADANI 20 Tahun book by the National Entrepreneurial Institute (INSKEN) at the NADI Machang Bubok Centre. Present at the launch were INSKEN Board of Trustees chairman Datuk Mustaffa Kamil Ayub and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) management deputy director Eneng Faridah Iskandar. The book documents INSKEN's establishment, the development of its role, programme achievements, and contributions to the development of the country's entrepreneurship ecosystem over the past two decades.
Sim, who is also Bukit Mertajam MP, remarked that PRIME was part of the next step in bringing entrepreneurship expertise and support closer to the people so that more entrepreneurs would not only be able to start businesses, but also sustain, grow, and become more competitive. He highlighted that all officers at the 222 NADI centres had received intensive training from INSKEN to enable them to serve as facilitators for local entrepreneurs in need of assistance.
'This initiative is also among KUSKOP's efforts to re-engineer the delivery of ministry services to bring them more directly to entrepreneurs, particularly those who may face constraints in obtaining information or dealing directly with the relevant agencies. KUSKOP is targeting between 30,000 and 50,000 entrepreneurs nationwide to access PRIME services by the end of this year. This is the first time we are undertaking this project to publicise the services available to entrepreneurs nationwide who could potentially access them at each NADI centre,' Sim added.
Sim stated that the target would be one of the initial measures for assessing the effectiveness of PRIME in providing easier access to entrepreneurship support services at the grassroots level. Meanwhile, Mustaffa Kamil mentioned that PRIME was an initiative led by INSKEN in strategic collaboration with MCMC to turn NADI centres into one-stop entrepreneurship reference centres at the community level, with MCMC providing the NADI network and facilities nationwide.
He explained that INSKEN brought entrepreneurship development expertise and provided training to NADI officers who would serve as PRIME's frontline personnel. 'The launch of PRIME this year is also particularly significant as INSKEN is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Over the past two decades, INSKEN has trained and mentored more than 180,000 entrepreneurs through more than 4,000 training and mentoring programmes nationwide,' he stated.
Mustaffa Kamil further explained that INSKEN did not merely provide guidance files, but also conducted face-to-face and online training to equip all 222 NADI officers with the knowledge, skills, and understanding needed to provide quality entrepreneurship services and advice. The publication of the book in conjunction with INSKEN's 20th anniversary was aimed at raising awareness among entrepreneurs, particularly young people, about the various facilities and government agencies available to assist them. 'INSKEN is also identifying and bringing together millionaires who have previously participated in programmes or benefited from the institution over the past 20 years,' he said.